NOW THE BOOK SAYS that when Perceval had separated from the knight
he
traveled a very great deal of time and season through barrens and through
castles, but he could never find the house of his grandfather. Yet
he found
many adventures, until he rode one day through a great forest, and
looking
before him he saw one of the most beautiful meadows in the world. And
beside
this meadow there was an excellent ford, and beyond the ford a pavilion
was
pitched. Then Perceval rode toward it at a swift pace, and he came
to the
ford, and wished to enter it and just as he thought to let his horse
quench
his thirst, a knight most nobly armed sprang from the pavilion and
came
riding rapidly toward Perceval, and he cried to him: "By God, sir knight,
know that most unfortunately you entered there, and it will be necessary
for
you to pay to use the ford."
Thereupon he sped at him and wished to strike him with his lance but
he
perceived that the knight had neither spear nor shield, for Perceval
had
fought with a knight who had cut his shield into shreds. Then he turned
back
and came to a damsel who was at the door of the tent and asked her
that she
bear to the knight a lance and a shield which were hanging in the tent,
for
it would appear shameful to joust with him without a shield. And the
damsel
did as he commanded her and gave them into the hands of Perceval who
rejoiced in his heart for this. And the knight cried to him to put
himself
on guard since unwisely he had entered the ford without leave, and
he should
guard himself well for he would make him pay for it if he could. Then
they
rushed together with great violence and they struck with great violence,
and
you may be sure that the lances flew into pieces, and Perceval struck
him so
harshly that he bore him down from the horse all full length on the
meadow.
And in the fall his helmet flew from his head because the laces were
broken.
Then Perceval put his feet to earth and got down from his horse, for
it
seemed shameful to strike a man on foot. Then he charged upon him with
his
sword and gave him so many blows that he overcame him, and he begged
for
mercy and surrendered himself to him. And Perceval told him that he
would
never have mercy upon him unless he would tell him first why he forbade
one
to water at the ford and why he jousted with knights and would harm
them for
such a thing. And he answered: "Sir, I will tell you.
"Know, sir, that I am named Urban and I am the son of the queen of the
Noire
Espine [Blackthorn], and King Arthur made me knight in his hall at
Carduel.
And after he made me knight I wandered through the land and met many
knights
and contended with them, and I tell you truly I never found knight
that I
could not excel in arms. And thus I was riding one night just as chance
might lead me, and, in truth, on that night it rained as hard as God
sees
fit to have it do, and it thundered and shattered the air and lightning
flashed so fiercely that I did not know what might happen to me and
I went
so swiftly that it seemed that devils bore me. And my horse was so
frightened I could not hold him in and he went his way in spite of
me. Then
know that at my back there came a din so great that it seemed the trees
were
uprooted behind me. And in this difficulty where I was, I saw come
before me
a damsel on a mule, the best I might ever see, and she was riding at
a swift
pace and as soon as I saw her I set out after her and endeavored mightily
to
overtake her. But it was so dark a night that I never could have perceived
her except for the lightning in the sky.
And I followed her until she entered one of the most beautiful castles
in
the world and I came after her, and as soon as she entered the hall
I was
with her. And when she saw me in the castle, she came to meet me and
embraced me and made me put down my arms and gave me fine hostel for
the
night. And I emboldened myself so much that night that I loved her
and
sought her love, and she told me that she would love me willingly on
one
condition that she would require. And I told her that I would do anything
she might wish whatever she might tell me, and she said that if I would
stay
there with her and not journey through the land she would be my love,
and I
said that I would do as she wished but that it would grieve me greatly
to
cease doing deeds of knighthood, and she said: 'Dear love, behold yonder
a
ford; you will pitch a pavilion there and no knight who goes through
the
land will see aught of this castle except the pavilion, and you will
joust -
with the knights who wish to water at the ford, and thus you will be
able to
have your happiness with me and yet maintain your knighthood.' And
I granted
her this and I have held this ford almost a year with my lady, and
since
then I have had whatever I desired.
And the castle sits there behind the pavilion that you can see; but
no one
can see the castle except myself and my love and the damsels who are
with
her. And know that there are only eight days remaining of my year,
and all
these eight days had passed I might have been the best knight in the
world,
but God has not granted this to me. Now know that I am at your command
to
kill or let live, and if you wish you may stay here and guard the ford
until
a year has passed, and if you wish to stay a year you will have the
prize of
the world provided that you are not conquered by a knight."
When Perceval had heard him he answered: "Friend, know that I would
not stay
here for any reason, but I wish that you cease guarding the ford and
that
you never again bother a knight I who may come to this place." And
the
knight answered: "I will do your pleasure, no matter how I may feel
about
it, for I see clearly that you have the upper hand of me." Then, just
as
Perceval spoke to the knight and forbade him to guard the Ford Perilous,
there was heard so great a tumult that it seemed that the whole forest
crashed into an abyss. And from this noise which was so loud there
issued a
smoke and a shadow so huge that one could not see another person if
he were
a half league away. And from this shadow a voice issued that was very
strong
and very dolorous and it said: "Perceval Li Galois, accursed may you
be by
whatever we women can contrive, for you have caused us the greatest
sorrow
today that we could ever have, and know that of it much suffering will
come
to you." And when it had said this, the voice cried to the knight who
was
there beside Perceval, "No more delaying!" He could no longer stay
there and
it said: "If you stay there longer you will lose me." And when the
knight
heard the voice he was all dismayed and came to Perceval and cried
to him
more than a hundred times that in the name of God he might have mercy.
And
when Perceval saw him cry for mercy thus he marveled much and asked
him why
he cried so much for mercy. And the knight responded: "Ha, sir knight,
for
God's sake, allow me to depart from here and give me your dismissal.
"And
then Perceval was silent and marveled much at the voice; and the knight
ran
to his horse and wished to mount, but Perceval seized him by the flap
of his
hauberk and said to him: "Knight, by my head, you shall certainly not
escape
me thus."
When the knight heard this he was greatly dismayed and returned towards
him
and cried more than a hundred times for mercy and that for God's sake
he
would not stop him and that if he stayed more he would kill himself.
And
then the voice was heard again which said to him: "Urban, haste you
or you
will have Lost me forever." And when the knight heard these words he
fainted, and Perceval was all amazed and looked at him marveling. And
then
he saw around him so many birds that all the air about him was full
of them
and they were blacker than anything he had ever seen. And they wished
to
tear the eyes from his head right through his helm, and when Perceval
saw
them he was most deeply amazed. And then the knight recovered from
his swoon
and looked around Perceval and saw the birds, and then he leaped up
and
began to rejoice greatly and to laugh harshly and he said: "May I be
cursed
if I do not aid you." Then he took his shield by the strap and his
sword in
his hand and rushed back upon Perceval, and when Perceval saw this
he was
greatly angered and cried: "Sir knight, wish you then to begin fighting
again?" And the knight said: "I defy you!"
Then they ran upon each other most fiercely with bared swords. But Perceval
had the worst of it for the birds oppressed him so closely that they
almost
threw him to the earth. And when Perceval saw this he felt a great
rage, and
he grasped the sword in his right fist and struck one of the birds
that
pressed him most closely right through the body so that the bowels
sprang
out of it, and it fell to the ground. And as soon as it fell it became
a
dead woman, and she had the most beautiful appearance that he had ever
seen.
And when Perceval saw her he felt great sorrow for her whom he saw
dead, and
the birds that were around him drew back and hurried toward the body
and
bore it into the air. And when Perceval saw that he was free from them
he
ran toward the knight, and the knight begged him for mercy in the name
of
God and that he might not kill him. And Perceval answered: "Then tell
me
what is this marvel that I have seen." And the other said: "Sir, I
will tell
you gladly.
"Know that the noise that you heard and the great tumult, this was the
castle of my damsel that she shattered for love of me. And the voice
that
you heard was she who called to me, and when she saw that I could not
escape
from you she changed herself and her damsels into the semblance of
birds and
they came here to oppress you and to help me. And when I saw them I
could
not prevent myself from going to help them that we might kill you,
but I
realize now that no one can harm you, and I know certainly that you
are a
worthy and godly man and one of the best knights of the world. And
this one
whom you wounded, she was the sister of my lady, but she will suffer
no
harm, for within the moment she is in Avalon. But, in the name of God,
I
wish to pray that you will let me go to my damsel who still awaits
me."
And when Perceval had heard him he began to laugh and courteously gave
him
permission to depart. And when the knight heard him he rejoiced
greatly and
set off from there on foot at a great speed, for he felt such joy because
he
had been given permission to leave that he did not remember his horse
at
all. And he had not gone more than two arpents from Perceval when Perceval
looked after him and saw that one bore him away with the greatest joy
in the
world. And he came to his horse and mounted for he thought he would
overtake
them, but he had hardly mounted when he could no longer see the damsels
nor
him nor even the horse which was beside him. And when Perceval saw
this he
thought it most marvelous, and he turned from there and said that it
would
be folly to pursue him.